A former student has honored one of the world’s foremost authorities on pattern recognition, computer vision and biometric recognition with the creation of The Anil K. Jain Endowed Graduate Fellowship fund.

Anil Jain, Michigan State University Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering, conducts trailblazing research in fingerprint and face recognition and forensic science.

“I am so very grateful that a former student has chosen to honor me by establishing this endowment,” Jain said. “I am flattered that our time together at MSU was so meaningful to him. Ultimately, this endowed fellowship will enhance our mutual scientific interests through new generations of graduate students.”

The Anil K. Jain Endowed Graduate Fellowship is an anonymous $400,000 cash gift from an international businessman who was a visiting scholar in computer graphics and image processing in Jain’s laboratory in the early 1980s.

The fellowship fund will support doctoral-level research on pattern recognition, computer vision and biometric recognition. The Department of Computer Science and Engineering will select the recipients of the Jain Fellowship.

Leo Kempel, dean of the MSU College of Engineering, said this new support will help educate the problem-solvers of the future.

“We continually press forward in the College of Engineering to find practical solutions to our most pressing challenges,” Kempel said. “We are delighted someone has chosen to honor Dr. Jain’s long and meritorious service in this way.”

The $400,000 gift is part of the Michigan State University’s Empower Extraordinary Campaign. Jain and his family will provide an additional $100,000 to augment this endowment.

Others wishing to contribute to the Anil K. Jain Endowed Graduate Fellowship fund may contact Stephen Bates, senior director of development in the MSU College of Engineering, at batesst@egr.msu.edu.

Anil Jain, Michigan State University Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering, is one of the world’s foremost authorities on pattern recognition, computer vision, and biometric recognition. Photo by K.A. Stepnitz